Sheena with Candy Giles and Conrad Tseng in front of Castle Howard


We visited the castle in April '08


The weather was a little dodgy but it gave us the breaks when we needed it.

This is our sister page to the Harrogate page. To many images to put all on one page, so this is meant to look at the areas outside of Harrogate. Anyway, here are some bits to start looking at.

Yorkshire landscape includes the Yorkshire Dales just a few miles north of Harrogate and the Yorkshire moors near the picturesque coastal town of Whitby.

As with most of England, the county of Yorkshire is chock full of historic places. Not far from Harrogate is the town of York with its medieval city walls, castle tower, the shambles and of course, the York Minster, seat of the bishop of York.

Not far North of York is Castle Howard, as in Catherine Howard. As you may recall, Catherine was the first wife of Henry VIII.


The flag of the Yorkshire


Yorkshire Tourism Site


Background Image - A view of the Yorkshire country side from a local rock outcrop. You can see RAF Menwith Hill on the skyline.

Fountains Abbey, Brimham Rocks, and Bolton Abbey

Fountains Abbey, the largest monastic ruins in England, is a truly breathtaking place to visit. Set in the naturally beautiful Skell valley, it's flanked by two vast expanses of lawn with awe-inspiring cliff faces to either side. The river Skell runs through the valley and under the Abbey, which is in itself a masterpiece of 12th-century building ingenuity.

Brimham Rocks, not far from Fountains Abbey, enjoy spectacular views over the surrounding countryside. Set within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this fascinating moorland is filled with strange and fantastic rock formations and is rich in wildlife. Oh, and did I mention the rock climbing?

Bolton Abbey, lies just down the Skipton Road (A59) from Menwith Hill, on the banks of the River Wharfe. With just under 30,000 acres of beautiful countryside, over 80 miles of footpaths and ample space to run around and enjoy the fresh air, there is something for all ages. The center piece of this park is the ruins of the 12th century Priory and the parish church. In addition to the miles of woodland and moorland paths, are restaurants, tea rooms, and cafes.
  The immense Fountains Abbey from along the valley floor.   Sheena on the ancient stone bridge.   Statues in the park.   Another view of the abbey along the river.   A view of the abbey from Anne Boleyn's seat.
  The trails at Brimham Rocks.   Eddie on the rocks.   Sheena on the rocks.   A view of the Yorkshire Dales from the rocks.   Looking back towards Harrogate from the rocks.
  Bolton Abbey and the local populace.   The river Wharf and the abbey.   Another view of the abbey from across the river.   And yet another view from the trail across the river.   Sheena along the trail.
  Talk about your money tree! Just a little different than I had ever pictured.   The trail as it approaches Barden.   An old foot bridge across the river.   The same bridge from the other side.   The moss covered rocks along the river in the Strid.

Whitby - February 28th - March 2nd, 2008

Whitby, a charming harbor town with steep streets and cobbled narrow alleys in the east part of the town. The town is split into two by the River Esk and the harbor, with a swing bridge connecting the two parts.

The town is the center of "Whitby Jet" the black stone being worked here for over 150 years, and it became popular in Victorian times when Queen Victoria was in permanent mourning for Prince Albert.

Besides its fishing heritage, fresh fish available daily, it's claim to fame is that the town is where Dracula come ashore in the famous Dracula" book by Bram Stoker.

The churchyard, of the parish church of St Mary, which inspired him is reached by 199 steps from the harbor, all upwards!

The other major "son" of the town is Captain Cook. James Cook was an apprentice seaman here and the house is now a museum dedicated to him. There is a bonze statue of him overlooking the harbor

Besides the shops and harbor you can journey further afield, south to Robin Hood Bay for fossil hunting, visiting the small fishing village, and cliff top walks, or inland to the North Yorkshire Moors and onwards to the Dales.

  On March 1st, we caught the bus from Whitby to Robin Hoods Bay.   From Robin Hoods Bay, we started a coastal hike on the Cleveland trail back to Whitby.   On the way out of Robin Hoods Bay we stopped at the PO and mailed some postcards to our friends and family.   One last look back at the quaint town of Robin Hoods Bay.   It was an incredible day. Clear skies, but a bit cold and VERY high winds.
  Dropping down into ravines were always a joy for the knees.   The Cleveland trail is maintained in part by the National Trust. Along the trail, there are always side trails that will take you to a small town and a warm pub.   We can never get enough of the kissing gates...   Just another view of the coast.   Eddie stopping to catch his breath.
    Back down into another ravine...   ....and back out!   The beautiful landscapes that Sheena will enjoy painting  
    The Whitby lighthouse.       Just another mile to go....
  Not far from from Whitby, we can see the Whitby Abbey on the horizon.   The Whitby Abbey      
  The grave yard at St. Mary's.   Used by Bram Stoker for the movie "Dracula"   Sheena on the hunt for Vamp's   The Whitby harbor  
  The fishing fleet in the harbor     199 steps from the grave yard to town. We think the 7 mile walk was better than walking up 199 steps!   Across the harbor from the Abbey   The Whitby beach.